Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-01-27
THE EVIL OMEN.
a Tale Of Life and Death at
Schwartzberg.


est has happened againr' So all the
slilers said at the Golden Dragon"
cit has happened again!' So the
old kelner Of the Schwartzberg said,
and the servants repeated it; and that
was how they had the news at the
ssGolGen Dragon" and all over the vii
Gage before night.
How it happened was a mystery, but
Shere was no denying it. If any of the
noble folks at the Schwartzberg were
going to die something in the castle
was sure to fall with no human hand
near-no loophole for explaining why
Che crash should come before the death,
and not at any other time. The omen
had begun again in these days, after a
lapse of century. The old kelner's
Gather, who had kept the keys long ago,
had told strange tales about it. He
had only heard them in his youth but
they were very strange tales, and. the
s'Golden Dragon" and the village in
general decided that they were not to
be explained away. But it was much
more satisfactory when at the present
slime the evil omen began to show it
self again. It was no grandmother's
story now, but 3. reality. The gossip
and excitement went on with shudders
and whispers; it was so pleasant to
have something to shudder about.
Why, if nobody had died after the
great stag's head fell in the hall the
sGolden Dragon would have been
downright sorry.
But as it happened, the little boy
the old Baron's grandson and heir
fell on the Black Mountain the very
day after and broke his neck. That
was only three months ago. And now
the great mirror in the tapestried draw
ing room had fallen. 1t was certainly
the old Baron that was to go off this
time. The village waited breathless to
know. Home went Fritz Hartmann
with news on the Saturday night. He
was In u worse humor than usual; that
is saying q great deal for Fritz Hart
mann. for he was the blacklist man in
the village; and who he was OF what he
was thinking of was all mystery.
.sFlowers, fatheri' said the bright
haired child, wanting to be noticed.
ego to bedr'said Hartmann. and drop
ped the flowers and kicked them away.
s.Any news?" his buXom, good
humored wife asked. The. blacklist
mood Fritz could be in was never too
black to stop her smile; many a gath
ering thunderstorm was laughed Oft
by Martha.
s.Why should there be news?" he
said savagely, finging his coat aside and
ghrowing himr elf on Il seat with his hat
still on. Love in a cottage has many
drawbacks, and the absence of manners
SS one of them.
The brisk and buXom Martha popped
Che child into bed and began to make
Eritz's supper hot. There was.no fear
IN her nature, and a great deal of curl
ositv.
81 wanted to hear about the poor dear
oil Baron," said Martha.
HE is. dying, they say" growled
Fritz.
.'Ohi Poor old man!'
"Why?" said the husband. "He paid
as for my bit of carving. What need
eve care?"
EYES, we should care my wicked old
sritz'-shaking him by the shoulder.
elf a poor man died. said Fritz.
ethey would shovel him into the ground
and forget him. Why should not the rich
die, too? He has the gout;i it would be
q comfort to the old fellow to die.
Martha had prayed that he might not
die for many Il year, govt or no govt
he had been so good to her long ago,
SFhen her parents died and she was
taken to the castle TO feed the chickens
and the ducks in the yard. Fritz did a
bit of wood carving as well as his daily
work. Tourists bought his carving in
summer; 1t was bought at the castle,
too. He had carried his brackets and
frames to the Schwartzberg Castle so OF
ten that he was free of the servants hall
any day, and when he took the carved
chair on Thursday the Baron had made
him bring it into the library with his
own hands. 1t was ungrateful of Fritz
to be glad that the poor old Baron was
dying; but then Fritz was always growl-
ing at the castle folks and grumbling at
his own Psrerty.
After supper he went out to the
Golden Dragon" and lolled with the
idlers on the benches outside the inn.
He was not man for speaking to the
others; he had the name of being as
proud as Satan, but he listened with his